This site uses cookies.
Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site,
while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used.
For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.

23. ANSWERING: What is the KudoZ "ask the asker" function for? Can I use it?

"Ask the asker" allows members to request additional context or other clarification from a KudoZ asker.

The "Ask the Asker" function should not be used for any purpose other than that stated above. It is against the rules to use it for answering, or commenting on the asker's decision to post the question.

But "Ask the asker" is often used, at least in the pairs I most frequently visit (Russian-English and all-English) for a general discussion between answerers and including the asker, on a topic raised by the question. Though I have never seen any objection raised to this, it would appear on the face of it to be against the rules, and I don't think it should be, because it seems to me to be a very useful function.

23. ANSWERING: What is the KudoZ "ask the asker" function for? Can I use it?

"Ask the asker" allows members to request additional context or other clarification from a KudoZ asker.

The "Ask the Asker" function should not be used for any purpose other than that stated above. It is against the rules to use it for answering, or commenting on the asker's decision to post the question.

But "Ask the asker" is often used, at least in the pairs I most frequently visit (Russian-English and all-English) for a general discussion between answerers and including the asker, on a topic raised by the question. Though I have never seen any objection raised to this, it would appear on the face of it to be against the rules, and I don't think it should be, because it seems to me to be a very useful function.

It's also widely used for the same purpose in IT-EN, and there as in the English monolingual section it's often just as if not more useful than the actual answers themselves in providing background information and possible solutions.

If the idea is to encourage people to post well-researched answers rather than guesses, I think it's mistaken. For example, I sometimes use the "ask the asker" section because I have relevant background knowledge of term usage in English without knowing what the right translation is in Italian. I could always post a "not for points" answer (and sometimes do), but as this is superficially detrimental to my answered/points ratio it'd be fairer if there was a Proz-sanctioned way to give such information without being "penalised" for it.

[Edited at 2008-01-24 11:07]

Subject:

Comment:

The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)

Margreet LogmansNetherlands Local time: 20:09 English to Dutch + ...

Another agree

Jan 24, 2008

Marie-Hélène Hayles wrote:

It's also widely used for the same purpose in IT-EN, and there as in the English monolingual section it's often just as if not more useful than the actual answers themselves in providing background information and possible solutions.

If the idea is to encourage people to post well-researched answers rather than guesses, I think it's mistaken. For example, I sometimes use the "ask the asker" section because I have relevant background knowledge of term usage in English without knowing what the right translation is in Italian. I could always post a "not for points" answer (and sometimes do), but as this is superficially detrimental to my answered/points ratio it'd be fairer if there was a Proz-sanctioned way to give such information without being "penalised" for it.

[Edited at 2008-01-24 11:07]

I have agreed with Marie-Hélène on a lot of things before, and this is no exception.Just read 'Dutch' in stead of 'Italian'.

Subject:

Comment:

The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)

I was going to bring this up with staff again, but I can see Jared has got in already.The link is very slow today, so I'll leave it for now!

[Edited at 2008-01-24 12:52]

Subject:

Comment:

The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)

Steffen WalterGermany Local time: 20:09Member (2002) English to German + ...

Conditional "agree"

Jan 24, 2008

Hi Jack,

I do see your point but I'd rather make an attempt at redesigning the KudoZ page completely since the long discussions the "Ask the asker" box is used for so often make the screen extremely cluttered, distracting the view from the answers as such.

As an alternative, I'd suggest to put the AtA box (perhaps to be redesigned/repositioned on the page) to new use as a discussion area while introducing a radio-button design with boilerplate messages for requests to be sent to the asker (similar to the reasons for squashing questions).

My 2c,Steffen

Subject:

Comment:

The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)

It's also widely used for the same purpose in IT-EN, and there as in the English monolingual section it's often just as if not more useful than the actual answers themselves in providing background information and possible solutions.

If the idea is to encourage people to post well-researched answers rather than guesses, I think it's mistaken. For example, I sometimes use the "ask the asker" section because I have relevant background knowledge of term usage in English without knowing what the right translation is in Italian. I could always post a "not for points" answer (and sometimes do), but as this is superficially detrimental to my answered/points ratio it'd be fairer if there was a Proz-sanctioned way to give such information without being "penalised" for it.

[Edited at 2008-01-24 11:07]

Same in my pairs (DE /IT) - As Steffen rightly pointed out, it would be much better to create a separated area where we can discuss the question - Just amplificating the use of the AfA wouldn't help much, because if you want to post more than a couple of sentences, you've to split the text more than once.

Paola

Subject:

Comment:

The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)

I'm afraid I've often broken this rule. I would dearly love to have a place where I can legally make some comment that isn't an answer, or a question for the asker, but that I think is germane and possibly useful. Occasionally I can squeeze it in with my agree, but that option is often unavailable (no answer given, for example) or inappropriate. And sometimes my comment simply is too long for that space.

Subject:

Comment:

The contents of this post will automatically be included in the ticket generated. Please add any additional comments or explanation (optional)

To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: